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By AIME AIME

MEXICO embraces one of the great metal and petroleum producing provinces of the world. In this respect its history dates back to the overthrow of the Aztec empire by a Spanish force under Hernando Cortes between 1519 and 1.521. Even before then, its richness in silver and other minerals was not unknown. But it was a treasure house for the Spanish conquerors until the country became independent in 1821. It has been computed that in the 400 years following 1521, Mexico yielded 1.55,000 metric tons of silver, worth $3,000,000,000, two-thirds of the entire world production. In 1935 the country accounted for 36 per cent of the world's silver output, 14 per cent of its antimony (in 1934), 13 per cent of its lead, 3 per cent of its zinc and copper, and 21/2 per cent of its petroleum. Contrary to the impression of some, its gold output is now comparatively small, though important in the past. Its oil, as well, formerly hulked much larger than now, in 1921 being one-fourth of the world output.

Jan 1, 1936

By Edward H. Robie

Jan 1, 1971

By AIME AIME

ARRANGEMENTS for the Annual Meeting of the Institute were well advanced at the end of December as the following program will show. Heretofore this has been printed separately, but its inclusion in the Annual Review issue of MINING AND METALLURGY will, it is hoped, make it more easily available for reference until the final program is issued, which will be distributed at the meeting. Added details will appear in the February issue. Last year's meeting drew a record crowd of over 2300 which should be exceeded this year. Early reservations at the headquarters hotel, the Waldorf-Astoria, or any other convenient hotel are desirable, as are prompt reservations for the Annual Dinner. No one need worry about too much speechmaking this year, for the honors will be awarded and accepted in a few words instead of a few paragraphs, in seconds rather than minutes.

Jan 1, 1939

By Joseph Daniels

IN connection with a study of the feasibility of establishing a blast-furnace industry in the Puget Sound region of Washington, possible sources of ore supplies along the Pacific rim were investigated. Many of the South American countries are known to contain important resources of iron, particularly Brazil and Chile. This latter country, because of its position on the west coast and the easy accessibility of its de- posits, appeared to be a logical place to consider as a potential supply for the Pacific Northwest. Accordingly, a brief field study was made of the deposits in September, 1924. Attention was confined to a limited number of properties on the west coast in the provinces of Antofagasta, Atacama, and Coquimbo. Passing consideration was given to the question of coal resources, and a short visit was made to a blast-funace plant at Corral in southern Chile which had been operated for a limited period as a producer of pig iron. In the following paper, a brief outline is given of the general observations made and of the salient facts rioted in the time available for the general study.

Jan 1, 1926

By T. A. Rickard

The history of this State is that of one generation. Thirtysix years only have elapsed since the birth of that beneficent industry whose footsteps were the first to traverse the wilderness of the prairies and penetrate the solitude of the mountains. So soon is history made. The men who halted on the rolling plain where Denver now stands and gazed westward at the snow-clad ranges in eager questioning of their possibilities of golden wealth, have lived to see a noble city built where once their camp-fires burned, and have participated in the discovery of a magnificent series of productive mines amid the mountains which seemed at that time the Ultima Thule of their pilgrimage. To those who investigate the workings of our complicated mining and metallurgical industries, the story of their evolution from humble beginnings will appear an instructive romance. The record that tells it presents features common to the growth of modern mining regions, but also bears aspects peculiar to

Jan 1, 1897

By H. Foster Bain

Steel for any large structure must be imported, the Hanyang works being entirely unable to supply local demand. The United States Steel Products Co. has warehouses and small stocks at Shanghai and at normal times there are heavy importations from Europe. It is difficult to obtain any accurate index of prices, but comparison of customs valuations with Pittsburgh quotations shows angles, bars and plates to have averaged $10 gold per ton higher in China in 1914, while on galvanized and tinned plates the excess was- $38 per ton. The margin since has been greater. Previous to the war little machinery was manufactured in China. There were shipyards at Shanghai and at Hong Kong which built a small number of engines, and small foundry and repair works are found at a number of ports. Their capacity was limited and the difficulties and delays incident to transport in China so numerous that in practice every important mine has a small foundry, boiler works, and machine shop. This must be taken into account in plans for work in the country. While skilled workmen can be found it is to be noted that most of them have been trained

Jan 1, 1921

By AIME

IN the parlance of Hollywood, it was a super-colossal meeting. In the more restrained language of engineers, the Institute's 75th Anniversary Celebration attracted the largest crowd ever; was the longest Annual Meeting ever held, occupying a full week; had more important papers, more important people, more of an international flavor, and more glamour than ever before. And in the minds of those who came to the big city from the wide open spaces, one other record should be mentioned: for those not on an expense account, it was the most expensive affair ever staged by the Institute! To state the attendance down to the last digit for a meeting such as this is impossible. The total names registered on cards, plus those who attended the Annual Banquet but were not otherwise registered, came to 3149. But a few were registered twice, and probably a still larger few did not register at all, but just dropped in for a session or two in which they were interested. It would appear that 3200 would be about as close an estimate of attendance as could be made, and that is some 300 more than came to the biggest Annual Meeting of the past-in 1944. A considerable number of members brought their wives, but most were delegates at large.

Jan 1, 1947

By AIME AIME

The Institute Headquarters at Spokane was established at the Spokane Hotel, and included a Bureau of Information for the benefit and comfort of members and guests of the party during the time of the meeting. The first session, held Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 28, 1909, in the beautiful Convention Hall ,of Masonic Temple, was called to order by Mr. E. J. Roberts, Chairman of the Spokane Local Committee, who introduced Mr. J. C. Ralston, City Engineer, representing the Mayor of Spokane and the Spokane Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Ralston extended to the members and guests of the Institute a cordial welcome to the city of Spokane, substantially as follows:

Dec 1, 1909

By AIME AIME

WEDNESDAY night, by long tradition, is al- ways set aside for the annual dinner, even when, as it was this year, it is Ash Wednesday. Whether the somewhat smaller attendance than last year is attributable to that cause, the unexpectedly long persistence of business depression, or whatever may have been the reason, it was a joyous occasion, and the grand ball-room of the Commodore Hotel was as completely filled With diners as * was consistent with com- fort. In the half hour before the dinner was actually served the guests assembled in an adjoining room and not only exchanged greetings but proceeded along the receiving line to greet the guests of honor. The number present was so large that hardly more than half of them had been able to do this before the summons to the dining room sounded and a hearty and immediate response was made to it. Toy balloons at each plate, inflated and directed at the heads of companions or nearby friends, but which were just as likely to carom from the nose of a hurrying waiter, successfully broke the ice as well as not a few plates. It would be interesting to know whether the pleasure the guests derive from these de- vices is in part based on the all-too evident annoyance of the waiters, and what the relative quantitative relationships are.

Jan 1, 1931

Who's Who in Mineral Engineering 1977 - SME Membership Directory of the Society of Mining Engineers of AIME

Jan 7, 1977

By AIME AIME

AT the Morenci branch of the Phelps Dodge Corporation, of which Frank Ayer is manager, several new types of machines that have been developed by Charles Mitchell, shop foreman in the drill steel shop, invite comment for their time and labor-saving qualities. Foremost of these is an adjustable gage-block and gaging device for attachment to drill-sharpening machines, developed and patent applied for by Mr. Mitchell. It replaces the blocks on the standard Ingersoll-Leyner drill steel sharpener No. 5. Features of the device are gage blocks with a flat surface which can readily be removed when worn and planed in any flat planer; blocks that can be adjusted with a templet to give a far more accurate gage than was formerly possible; and a center stop that is adjustable and can be accurately set to center any standard size drill steel.

Jan 1, 1930

SME's Annual Membership Report - 1961 Membership Directory

Jan 7, 1961

By Betty J. Laswell, Gerald W. Laswell

The stepped-up pace of US open-pit and surface mining during the 1970's is a direct response by mining firms and equipment manufacturers to rising costs and declining ore grades. In the race for bigger and more efficient machines, rotary drills have emerged as the foremost leader in primary drilling at major US surface operations. At least 12 different manufacturers now offer rotary rigs in the 102- mm-diam. (4-in.) or greater blasthole size range. With capital investment for the larger units quickly approaching $1 million, the question is asked, "What's been the performance record to date of rotary drill rigs operating in North America?" To answer that question, a comprehensive study of rotary blasthole drills was conducted which qualitatively reveals various problem areas inherent in the rotary drill market and indicates some new directions for improvement.

Jan 6, 1978

By AIME AIME

THE first fall meeting of the new Coal Division started on time on Thursday morning, Sept. 11, at Pittsburgh, with Paul Sterling of the Anthracite Section presiding and over a hundred members and guests in the room. The attendance increased from session to session, the total registration being 248. Excellent arrangements had been made by the officers of the Division covering all features of the meeting, the only drawback being that more papers-were listed for presentation than could be discussed in the time available. Howard-N. Evensong, chairman of the Division, explained this situation as sore and sore papers case in by likening it to the case of the small boy who wanted a second niece of pie at the end of a large seal. When his mother remonstrated that if he ate any more he would certainly burst, the young man replied, "Well, you just hand over the pie and then get out of the way." With that Mr. Evensong turned the meeting over to Mr. Sterling, who handled it so well that with ample discussion it was still possible to adjourn at lunch time, all but the group of junior papers having been heard. This series of papers, the output of the .very lively Junior Section organized last spring by the younger men of the Division was regretfully put over until Friday morning, when that on "Heat Drying" by S.. M. Parsley was read.

Jan 1, 1930

Jan 1, 1886

By L. S. Cates

THE war is now behind us. We in the mining industry feel a just pride in the part that our industry and our men and our products played in defeating the enemy on the fighting fronts around the world. In five years of mobilization and actual combat, our mines and oil wells produced over 3 billion tons of coal, a billion tons of petroleum, 500 million tons of iron ore, 21/4 million tons of lead, 31/2 million tons of zinc, 5 million tons of copper, 14 million tons of bauxite, 17 million tons of sulphur, 68 million tons of salt, and 3 million tons of potash. It was an unparalleled performance. But what of today? Why the present low production and high costs? Among the black clouds in the mining sky none are so black as that presented by the labor situation. We know it is the result of the legislation and the interpretation of that legislation in the past ten or fifteen years. Since the passage of the Norris-LaGuardia Act in 1932, we have had nothing but a succession of laws, regulations, and decisions that have intensified the strength of the unions and made the operators of the mines and the sources of their financing prartirally impotent

Jan 1, 1946

By Guy N. Bjorge

HOMESTAKE'S mining methods today are of necessity controlled to a considerable extent by that which has been done in the past. This may be shown by the fact that our two main operating shafts now, the B. & M. and Ellison, were begun in 1878 and 1896 respectively, so that-the loca-tions of shafts, locations of all the drifts on the upper levels, and a great deal of sloping was done before any of us now connected with the mine had anything to do- with it. Anything that I may say is not to be construed as criticism of those who have gone before for it would be a sad commentary indeed on us if we had not learned something from their experience. The levels down to the 1100 in the Homestake mine are spaced at 100-ft. intervals, and below that at 150-ft. intervals. The general plan of develop-

Jan 1, 1934

By AIME AIME

THE graduating class whom I am particularly addressing are going into the world at least a month earlier than normal, because of the war. You have been free to choose your work. You have chosen to be mining engineers. The principal importance of your engineering education to date has been in teaching you how to think and how through books to have ready access to the accumulated experience of previous generations, as well as the current experience of the day. You should by now have acquired something of the engineering point of view, the open skeptical mind. the power to observe, experiment, and draw conclusions, form theories and test these by further experiment, and weigh the inherent probability of conclusions drawn by others. I am asking you today to consider certain facts and the conclusions I am drawing from those facts.

Jan 1, 1942

By John V. Beall

Since the U. S. Metals Refining Co. works was established, around the turn of the century, near the town which is now called Carteret, N. J., it has grown to be a major producer of refined copper and the main source of that special brand known as "oxygen-free high-conductivity copper." Owing to the complex metallurgical problems arising from handling a variety of raw materials such as copper concentrate from Matahambre, Cuba, copper and brass scrap from the New York area, and domestic blister copper, the organization is geared from top management down through its 2000 employes to maintain a high degree of flexibility in plant operation. The Company is a subsidiary of The American Metal Co. Charges for the smelter furnaces, one reverberatory furnace and one blast furnace, are made up in. bedding bins so that they may be tailored to the production of a constant grade of blister copper. The reverberatory furnace smelts the .sulphide charge, which may be a blend of ten different materials but principally the Cuban concentrate, and the matte from the process is poured into a converter. This reverberatory is 80 by 20 ft, silica lined with a slag bottom, fired by pulverized coal, and continuously side-charged from the top by bottom-dump cars which keep the side walls covered. It produces a 40 to 50 per cent copper matte. The fuel-charge ratio is 4.35 tons of solid charge per ton of coal. The furnace has a capacity of 10,000 tons of charge per month and produces from 5000 to 6000 tons of slag per month which must be disposed of. About 5000 tons of converter slag is produced monthly and returned molten to the reverberatory furnace. The converter gases go through a spray chamber to a Cottrell precipitator and thence to the flue system. Smoke from the

Jan 1, 1948

By Graham Bright

T HE chairman of the Mines Committee of the A. 1: E. E. for 1920-21 has had the honor of being also the chairman of a similar committee, the Mine Equipment Committee, of the A. I. M. E. It has been the endeavor during the past year to have the two committees work together since the object of these committees is very much the same. A meeting of the committees was held in Chicago in November of 1920, at which time it was decided that one of the best ways to work together would be to foster joint meetings of the local sections of the A. I. E. E. and A. I. M. E. By these meetings, it was hoped that various engineers in the local sections interested in mining subjects could be brought together and not only become better acquainted but be greatly benefited by the interchange of ideas and by the discussion of papers presented on mining subjects.

Jan 1, 1921